Two Brockton men among 16 arrested in regional drug bust

Cody Shepard The Enterprise @cshepard_ENT

Tuesday

Mar 21, 2017 at 12:54 PMMar 22, 2017 at 7:00 AM

More than 200 police officers from 20 agencies, including Brockton, Bridgewater, East and West Bridgewater, conducted 19 raids around the region, South Shore and Boston on Tuesday morning, resulting in 16 people being arrested.

BROCKTON - They spread out across the region and staked out the homes with search and arrest warrants in hand. Whether anyone was inside, they knocked on almost two dozen doors about the same time early Tuesday morning.

As a result of a six-month investigation, 16 people were charged, large amounts of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine were sized and 10 guns were taken off the streets when 19 residences were raided.

The Randolph Police Department, the lead agency, and numerous local law enforcement agencies executed search warrants in the Brockton region, across the South Shore and into Boston in the early morning hours.

The raids, nine of which occurred in Randolph, resulted in more than a dozen arrests and the seizure of large amounts of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and cash, as well as 10 guns, according to David Traub, a spokesman for Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey.

The raids conducted in Randolph included Fitch Terrace, Green Street and Warren Street. The suspects are still being processed and due to be arraigned Tuesday in Quincy District Court. Their names were not immediately released.

As part of the investigation, Brockton police detectives assisted and executed a search warrant at 48 Boyden St., at 6:06 a.m. No arrest was made.

The WEB Major Crimes Task Force, which includes officers from the Bridgewater, Bridgewater State, East Bridgewater, West Bridgewater and Whitman police departments, executed a warrant at 58 Sunset Ave. in West Bridgewater about 6 a.m.

“A large amount of drugs and cash were seized,” West Bridgewater police wrote in a short statement on social media. “Our officers have cleared the area and rest assured we are very aware of the situation. We see no security or safety concerns for our residents at this time.”

Randolph police worked with the South Shore Drug Task Force, which includes officers from Braintree, Holbrook, Milton, Quincy, Randolph and Weymouth, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Morrissey’s office.

The raids, which included three counties, were executed without incident.

According to the Norfolk County District Attorney’s office, 14 of the 16 charged pleaded not guilty Tuesday at their arraignment in the Quincy District Court, including:

Vincent Bonanno, 27, Warrant St. Randolph, trafficking heroin over 200 grams, carrying a firearm without a license, possessing firearm without a license, distribution of class B substance, conspiracy to violate the drug laws.

“This investigation was complex and I commend all agencies that were involved for their professionalism and collaboration in getting these deadly drugs off our streets,” Randolph Police Chief William Pace said in a statement.

More than 200 police officers from 20 agencies assisted in the raids Tuesday, including the local Brockton, Bridgewater, East Bridgewater and West Bridgewater police departments. Officers from Braintree, Quincy, Weymouth, Milton, Holbrook, Canton, Dedham, Millis, Wrentham, Plainville, Foxboro, Carver, Hingham, Boston and the Norfolk County and Plymouth County sheriff’s offices also assisted.

“DEA is committed to investigating and dismantling large-scale poly-drug trafficking organizations like this one operating throughout the South Shore area of Massachusetts,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson.

Morrissey noted that Norfolk County had more than 170 fatal overdoses last year because of the supply of heroin and fentanyl that is available.

“Law enforcement is pushing hard for increased addiction prevention, treatment for addiction and diminishing the demand for these drugs, but it remains vital that we work to close off the supply of poisons that are killing our citizens by the hundreds,” he said.

Randolph alone experienced nine fatal drug overdoses in 2015. In that same year – the most recent complete data – Brockton had 47 fatal overdoses.

“Those suffering from the disease of opioid addiction need access to treatment and recovery. Let these arrests serve as an example to those who distribute fentanyl and cocaine in order to profit from addiction and destroy people’s lives, that DEA is committed to aggressively peruse and hold you accountable,” Ferguson said. “This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative law enforcement efforts to intensely go after anyone who traffics these poisons.”

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